I couldn’t end this series on special children without noting that there is a big difference between enduring by looking for a silver lining and celebrating. A silver lining implies a cloud. Cerebrating implies and includes God.

John is not someone I endure with patience, He is created in the image of God and exemplifies characteristics of God’s nature that are to be emulated and admired. In so many ways he is gifted and therefore not handicapped, but exceptional.

In the conclusion of this series, we try to see each of God’s children from His perspective. For in accepting and appreciating “special” children we may even learn to accept and appreciate ourselves!

In this episode, Steve will reflect on the new friends he and his family have made in the world of disability. They have learned that every human being is created in God’s image and bears God’s divine imprint. And each believer has something unique to supply to the body of Christ. We all reflect some aspect of our Creator.

As a result of the fall, we are all disabled in some capacity, either emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Some are disabled on the outside, and others on the inside, but we all are needy. We each reflect God’s image liked cracked mirrors.

We hope you will enjoy meeting Reuben, Mike, David, Jane, and Chris and how they reflect God’s glory.

God is good and God is our Redeemer. He works all things together for good, even our “light afflictions” as Paul calls them in 2 Corinthians 4:17. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us.

In 1987, I was praying for God to fix Johnny, but God had other designs, and through John, He was fixing me. Or as Laura Story, in her song “Blessings” says:

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are your mercies in disguise

Steve relates how God has used John to put like in perspective and teach them eternal truths about love and life.

The best part of being in a valley is that God loves there. He is comfortable in the valley. Jesus is described as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. The Psalmist says the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

But sometimes God needs us to invite Him to be with us as we try to endure hard times. Steve talks about how God was “there all the time” as He promised, but was also more real when he asked God to share in the bearing of the burden.

I used to skip through the Beatitudes to more comforting verses in Matthew, but scripture teaches that valleys, or difficult experiences, are not abnormal for God’s people. They are the norm.

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are thy that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

God is faithful and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. He is a very present help in trouble.

And sometimes what appears hard and difficult is actually a blessing in disguise. I know you will be encouraged by the story of a modern day Daniel in an African lion’s den.

Life can be hard. Personal struggles and difficulties often come with a significant grief component. This painful experience changed my view of the Christian life. I had become a Christian for the perks, heaven, forgiveness of sin, joy, peace, but I didn’t understand suffering. Suffering is accompanied by grief and I didn’t know how to process the pain nor fix the situation, which led to burnout.

Steve shares their family's journey of having a special needs child. Every child will change the chemistry of the home. When you have a child with a disability, life becomes harder. Not only to the family unit, but each member of the family as well. This is our journey and I hope it will encourage you in the difficult experiences you are facing.

The final episode in this series is a compilation of testimonies from parents who have been having times of regular family worship. I hope that as you listen you will be edified and encouraged.

In the podcast 35 we examined the first five possible obstacles in beginning having regular times of family worship in our homes. We will conclude with the final five today.

•  I am not qualified to lead my family.

•  I won’t be able to be successful.

•  What is my husband will not participate?

•  Like Moses, I am not a gifted speaker and wish someone else could do it.

•  It’s too late to get started as the children are older.

These are all questions each of us struggles with to some degree. Facing them and talking through them, robs them of their power to cripple and discourage us. I hope this broadcast will be a help to eliminating these common hurdles.

In the previous 5 episodes we examined ingredients for a successful family worship experience. In this podcast we tackle potential obstacles that I had to face and that may resonate with other families.

• For example, the first one is that we may not have grown up in a home where your parents conducted conducted family devotions so we never saw it modeled.

• Or perhaps we have been told that we are not qualified to teach the bible since we have not been to bible school or sunday school teacher’s academy.

• Maybe we think the job of discipling our children is the job of the church.

• “We are too busy” may sound familiar to all of us.

These and other objections will be examined in more detail this week. I hope you will be encouraged to press on as you listen to our discussion.